LaurenWelle.com

hildren who have an articulation delay have difficulty pronouncing age appropriate sounds. Listed below are a few easy and successful suggestions that you can do at home. In class, I have found my students have fun with these activities and do not realize that I am actually working with them on something that is challenging.

1) Buy small plastic trinkets that start with the letter you are trying to address. For example, if you are targeting the letter “B” you should buy items such as a ball, bat, bear, bike, and bee. Often, the dollar store has an array of these items. I would buy 7 or more of these items. Put the items in a bag and have your child reach in and feel around. Have them guess what they are feeling. When they pull the item out, help them identify the object and produce the targeted beginning sound. Your child might have difficulty. Make sure to give gentle reminders and repeat the sound twice per object.

2) Place pictures that start with the targeted sound on the ground. Spread them out and have your child throw a bean bag onto each card. Have them identify each picture and assist them in producing the sound. This is a good language and gross motor activity.

3) Place cards that begin with the targeted sound on blocks. Give your child a ball and have them bowl to knock down each block and produce the sound.

Summer is almost over! Are you looking for another camp? You still have time. The Young Athletes Sports Camp starts next weekend. The camp specializes in instructing children with special needs and their siblings, ages 3-7, in sports including soccer, basketball, baseball, bowling, putt putt and kickball. The camp also provides sensory activities including jumping on trampolines, ball pits and deep pressure techniques. The goal of the program is to provide an environment that accommodates the needs of the children and to provide a family centered approach. Parents are welcome to stay and cheer their children on or volunteer.

The camp meets on:

July 26th from 9-11

August 2nd from 9-11:45

August 9th from 9-11:45

August 16th from 9-11:45

August 23rd from 9-11:45

August 30th from 9-11:45

Place:
The Northern Virginia Training Center
9901 Braddock Rd
Fairfax, VA 22032-1941

Please contact:
Beth Frank at 703.359.4301 to register

Many of you have asked me what your child is expected to know when entering Kindergarten. I have outlined some objectives in my post “Getting Ready for Kindergarten“. Below are some activities that you can do with your child to ensure success! Remember to pick activities that your child is able to do or is ready to undertake.

Cut and Paste:
In Kindergarten, your children will be completing cut and paste activities. Click here and check out:
ABC order (preschool)
Shapes (preschool)
Numerical order, numbers 1-10

Counting:
Your children will be counting objects up to 10, using one-to-one correspondence. For example, when the child sees the number 3, they can hand you 3 items.
Click here for dinosaur, fish and color counters.

Cutting Activities:
Click here for a house and a kite puzzle. Your child can work on cutting out the shapes and putting the objects together. They might have difficulty cutting out the smaller objects so make sure you help them if they need assistance.

Dot to Dot:
Dot to dot activities are beneficial for your children because they promote arm control and eye hand coordination. Click here for activities that work on connecting numbers 1-10. The spelling dot to dot might be too difficult.

Sewing Cards:
Click here and check out the template for the circle, heart, triangle or square. Put the shape on poster board and punch out the holes. Provide your child with a thick piece of yarn with tape on the end to practice sewing.

Matching:
Click here and go to the animal matching activity.

Sorting:
Click here for the flower activity which has children sort by color and size.

Summer provides many opportunities for children to participate in gross motor activities. This includes taking trips to your neighborhood playground, going to the pool, riding a bike and playing sports. Activities that strengthen large muscles help children navigate surfaces, improve balance and posture, build stamina as well as confidence. Children who have upper body strength in their arms and trunk have better control of their body which leads to improved fine motor skills. Below is a list of gross motor developmental milestones for children ages 3-5.

3-year olds:

Walk forward heel-and-toe for 5 steps

Run 30 feet with most of their weight on the balls of the feet

Climb stairs using a hand rail and place 2 feet on each stair

Jump with one or two feet over a small object

Jump forward 24 inches

Begin to move legs to pump a swing

May be overly fearful of height and the speed of objects thrown to them

Stand on one foot unsteadily for a few seconds

Kick a ball with a backward and forward leg swing

4-year olds:

Demonstrate a mature run- the arms bend at the elbows and move back and forth across the body, the trunk leans forward, high knee and heel lift and running on the balls of their feet to push ahead

Hop on one foot

Stand on one foot for ten seconds or more

Alternate feet going up the stairs- one foot per step

Show greater perceptual judgement and awareness of limitations

Exhibit increased endurance

Walk forward on line heel-and-toe for 6 feet

Jump forward 10 times

Kick a ball with good backward and forward leg swing and arm movement

5-year olds:

Gallop for 10 feet

Hop 5 times

Walk backwards toe-to-heel for 4 steps

Skip and run with speed

Walk on a two-inch balance beam with control

Jump down a few steps

Coordinate movements for swimming and bike riding

Play group turn taking gross motor games

Stand on one foot with eyes closed for 10 or more seconds

Take 2 or more coordinated steps and kick a big ball

Research has shown that behavior and the emotional well-being of young children improves with structure and a consistent daily routine. Children know what to expect and there are no surprises. Routines provide continuity and children feel safe and trust those involved in their day which promotes emotional stability.

Through routine, parents are able to provide a framework for what they expect from their child. For example, children know that when they get up, they need to go to the bathroom, brush their teeth and get dressed. Compliance with these routines is often better if it is part of the daily routine. Transitions are also easier for the child if they know that they cannot move on to the next activity if their responsibilities are not done.

Parents are also able to communicate their values and beliefs. For example, children learn that when they receive a gift, they say thank you and when entering a building, they hold the door for those coming in or out.

Routines and structure also promote language. A child learns that when they greet a person they say hello, and they say good-bye when they leave. They also learn the names of common objects used throughout the day and the names of familiar places.

Things are going to come up throughout the day that might change the routine, especially during the summer. This is OK but prepare your child for the change by explaining what you are going to do ahead of time. Also, tell them how much time they have before the change is about to occur. If they are taking part in a preferred activity, such as play, let them know that play will be over in say 5 minutes. Set a timer if you need to.